A computer network may comprise functional and interconnecting switches. Functional elements include elements that provide a service or storage. Examples of functional elements include servers and disk arrays. Interconnecting switches are those elements that promote communication between functional elements. Examples of interconnecting switches include network switches.
Computer networks require that sufficient interconnecting switches be present to allow the functional elements to communicate efficiently. The design and configuration of the interconnecting switches needs to be done in such a way so as to promote the efficient communication of the functional elements without wasting resources.